Mimi Smith remembers when the postman delivered mail twice a day. She still looks forward to daily delivery six days a week, even though she does most of her personal communication via computer.

Six months from now, the Springfield grandmother will have one less day to discover the treasures within her mailbox. Saturday mail delivery will cease to exist after Aug. 3 as a cost-cutting measure, officials at the financially beleaguered U.S. Postal Service announced Wednesday.

"There's nothing you can do about it, but sure, I'd rather get the mail. I look forward to the mail," said Smith on Wednesday afternoon.

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Packages, which actually are proving profitable for the postal service, will still be delivered and post offices are still expected to be open on Saturdays, although hours may be reduced at smaller venues.

Albert Pasquarelli, who thinks it is too bad six-day home delivery is being eliminated, but feels it was "inevitable," suggested Americans who are keen on Saturday delivery should get mailboxes at their local post offices.

"I think that it's probably a reasonable thing to do. I don't think it's going to affect too much. People aren't relying on the mail too much any more," said the 59-year-old Middletown resident.

Pasquarelli pays his bills, retrieves his pay stubs and makes most of his purchases online, as do many Americans.

"I use email most of the time," said 62-year-old David Peng of Media, although he did emerge from Springfield post office Wednesday carrying a collapsed U.S. Postal Service mailing box.

But some citizens, such as 67-year-old Mary Beth Lavery, do not have computers and will be sad to see Saturday home delivery terminated.

"I don't like it," said the resident of the Drexel Hill section of Upper Darby, who does believe letter carriers deserve a day off. "They work so hard during the week and in the summer and in the cold winter. I agree, then, they should have a break."

Tamitra Fontaine understands the potential financial benefit of eliminating Saturday delivery, which U.S. Postal Service officials say could represent an annual savings of $2 billion.

"I know they've been struggling. Postage keeps going up every year. I don't think it's a bad thing if it allows them to balance the budget," said the 54-year-old Lansdowne resident.

"It's not a problem for me because I understand they're losing money hand over fist and if they still delivered on Saturday the cost of postage would just keep going up," said the Nether Providence resident. "And it's not like you can do anything with the mail on Saturday. What are you going to do, go to the bank?"

Julie Randall doesn't expect to miss Saturday delivery at all.

"I never usually get anything of significance on Saturday," said the 62-year-old Rose Valley resident.

Forty-nine-year-old Steven Bush said it doesn't matter to him whether he gets a piece of mail on Saturday or Monday, especially if it helps the U.S. Postal Service out of "dire straits."

"They've been talking about this for years and they have so much competition from UPS and Federal Express," said the Springfield resident.

His 4-year-old son, Steve Bush Jr., didn't have an opinion about Saturday mail delivery, but he did admit on Wednesday that going to the post office is "fun, to buy stamps."

Chris Carlin initially said she wasn't fazed by the impending demise of Saturday delivery, but had second thoughts when considering the expected mail.

"If I'm waiting for a check to come to cash that's one thing," said the 43-year-old Springfield resident, "but bills, magazines and junk mail, they can wait."